Hot time at Cochecho Arts finale

DOVER— The air may have been cool Friday evening, but country crooner Ryan Brooks Kelly really heated things up for the last night of the 28th annual Cochecho Arts Festival.

The band alternated between performing some of its originals and covered songs by The Band Perry and Hunter Hayes to a packed audience.

Based out of Hudson, N.H., the band has opened for headliners such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dickey Betts, The Doobie Brothers, Joan Jett, Chicago, Eric Church, The Band Perry, Sara Evans, and even opened for Keith Urban this summer.

“We've been up here for almost every concert. We love the band,” Ray Cardin, of New Durham, said.

Folk/blues band Hilton Park, out of Southern Maine, kicked off the night with some lively tunes that got the crowd clapping and stomping along.

Guests seemed to love their rendition of Jimmie Rodgers “The Women Make a Fool Out of Me”.

Dover Fire Department was joined by 7th Settlement as the evening's vendors, offering everything from lamb burgers, beer, and cheddar popcorn.

University of New Hampshire alumni Kayla Granoff was on site showing visitors how she hand makes her own jewelry.

“This is the first time I've sold anything in Dover,” she said. “I'm making clay jewelry and using clay stamps to make impressions.”

“I think it's very nice here,” Sandra Ellsmore, of Harris, Maine said. She stated that she travels to Dover every Friday just to see the festival, and that she thought there was a great selection of bands this year.

Tom Levasseur, the Cochecho Arts Committee chair of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, said his committee of 15 worked diligently to get this wide variety of bands.

“It's the last night, it seems we just started last week. This is a great community event. We really expanded the festival this year,” he said, mentioning the new Shakespeare on the Hill Event.

“We had a great time putting this Cochecho Arts Festival together this year. We promise next year will be bigger and better.”

“It was a great season for us,” Molly Hodgson, the Dover Chamber of Commerce executive director, added. “It's always nice when we can stay outside for every single show. We were successful this year in putting together a variety of performances that touched all genres…that Dover wanted to hear from.”

Festival sponsor, The Dover Rotary Club, was on hand to say goodbye to another season.

“We love giving back to the community,” said President Nick Pellman. “It's a great way to bring people together and that's a big part of what the Rotary Club does.”